Niigataology

Description:  Echigo White Eggplant (越後の白ナス) is a traditional heirloom vegetable from Niigata Prefecture and refers to "Echigo” the old province. It is also known as Niigata Shiro Nasu or as some have called it "Snow White Eggplant" in reference to its glossy pure white skin as its original color and not before it changes, so it is interesting that it is different from various purple and green colored eggplant. It is also called the "lady in a white dress" because of its beautiful appearance. The shape is slightly elongated, bulbous, and looks thick. It is seen as a mythical and desired smooth eggplant, because of how it holds a lot of water that makes it good for sauces and slow cooking. It is distinguished by its creamy, soft interior, mellow flavor. Snow White Skin:   In the area of Nishikan ward in Niigata City is where it is found with its roots being bound to the towns like Maki that were absorbed into the ward. The whiteness of the eggplant carries symbo...

Description:  Kizaki Grill Eggplant (豊栄のやきなす) is a traditional heirloom vegetable from Kizaki District in Kita Ward from Niigata City Niigata Prefecture. The District of Kizaki ( 木崎 ) in Japan refers to trees or wood, but the exact meaning is uncertain without further context. In English, "Kizaki" can be translated as "wood", "wood cutting" or "tree", thus its nickname of Wood Eggplant from people who preferred grilling it over Wood. It is reddish-purple and can vary from dark-purple depending on when it is harvested and is known to be one of the most desired eggplants for grilling alongside the popular "Pencil Eggplant". This variety is the defacto Grilled Eggplant that is popular as the best tasting grilled eggplant variety. Pencil Eggplant Ancestor: In the 1950s, the "pencil eggplant" was introduced from Shirane City (now part of Minami Ward, Niigata City) to the Kizaki area.   Farmers in Kizaki selectively cultivated large...

Description:  Deepsnow Eggplant 深雪なす is a Traditional Niigata Heirloom variety that is known to taste good raw or pickled with its thin soft skin, crispness, and high moisture, and slightly sweet. It's notable for its cute round shape, the shiny lustrous skin, and how it is palm sized, yet it is heavy. When squeezed, it drips with water, that is full of tastiness from melted snow that is part of its namesake. Branded as "Miyuki Eggplant" is referred to as Beautiful Snow that is deep in reference to the area it is grown in Uanuma. It tastes good steamed, grilled, but is best known for the crispy pickles. In 1970, the Yabukami district, Uonuma City shows that the Miyuki Eggplant has its roots is in the Senshu eggplant from shipments to the Keihin area in 976 (Showa 51). Established in 1978, (Showa 53) the Yabukami Eggplant Producers' Association (Previously the Miyuki Eggplant Producers' Association) is a group that connects people over eggplant. 

Description: Drawing Eggplant is a Traditional Niigata Heirloom variety that is characterized from its dense, creamy, and sweet flavor. Even though it is known as one of the more delicious eggplant with few seeds it is a rare variety to be seen as in most places it can be difficult to cultivate, but in Nagaoka it thrives with the fertilizer mixture of fish waste, rice bran, and fertile soil by the large river. It comes from the area of Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan. It is also called "Nagaoka Kinchaku Eggplant" (jp.長岡巾着なす). It is named for its resemblance to a traditional Japanese drawstring pouch the "kinchaku". This variety is native to the Nagaoka area in Niigata Prefecture began to be cultivated around the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912) is appreciated for its round, slightly flattened shape and thick, meaty flesh. Kinchaku Drawstring Bags: The roots of the Nagaoka Kinchaku Eggplant are believed to be closely tied to the Kameda Kinchaku , a traditional pouch fr...

  Etymology, Niigata Prefecture Governor Hideyo Hanazumi 2023.08.04 had promoted Edamame through an officially named dish by the government. Niigata has the largest edamame cultivation area in Japan and to establish Niigata as connected to Edamame the method of “Edamame Bean Piles” on a plate would be a dish named “Niigata Edamame Mori” as a name that could improve name recognition with cooperating businesses in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Saitama. World Edamame Eating Championship An Event held in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture is a event where participants compete to see how much edamame they ate in 100 seconds. 210 people from all over the country, including Iwate and Fukuoka prefectures, enthusiastically munched on beans with the aim of becoming the world's best. The event is co-sponsored by Niigata Prefecture, which has the largest acreage of edamame in the country, and an executive committee made up of young farmers, with the aim of promoting the prefecture's edamame to the wo...

Niigata Traditional Vegetables 新潟の伝統野菜. Niigata Prefecture, is renowned for its rich agricultural heritage, especially in the way of its great use of nightshade plants and creeping vine plants. Nightshade refers to the great selection of eggplants they have as well as tomatoes and bell peppers. The Creeping vine plants is in reference to the Pumpkin, Cucumbers, and Squash that grow in the area as well. These traditional variety of vegetables in Japanese is known as "dentō yasai" (伝統野菜). These heirloom varieties have been cultivated for generations, embodying the region's unique climate, soil, and cultural practices.  Niigata Prefecture has around 30 designated traditional vegetables:​ Drawstring Eggplant 長岡巾着なす